1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to stationery articles in general. More particularly, this invention relates to a complete reinforcement device to be incorporated to punched folder sheets for school, student and business uses, a method of making or manufacturing punched folder sheets with such reinforcement device, and an apparatus used to manufacture such folder sheets.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is quite common to see folder or filler sheets of different sizes, with or without lines, of the various qualities of paper on the market place these days, which are commonly used for manual or typed writing or drawing. These sheets can be found at stationery shops, either as loose units, or in packages of different quantities, or even bound so as to be preserved in good condition for use at any time. These sheets may then be used for performing any homework, writing exercises, maps, drawings or paintings made by schoolchildren or students of secondary or tertiary level, and also for office worksheets made by hand or machine. All such work is then saved into folders or covers specially prepared for such use. These folders or covers are equipped with fastening devices such as broken rings with fast opening and closing mechanisms, pass-through screws, metal strips, which pass through circular, oval or square holes that are provided on the sheets, either lengthwise or crosswise, and then bent against a metal channel to be secured by sliding pieces or other similar devices.
It is common to observe a marked deterioration of the punched holes due to careless manipulation, especially by schoolchildren and students of all ages and levels, which usually results in the need to make a second hole close to the previous one. This of course changes the alignment of the sheets. In an effort to solve this problem, a variety of sticky cardboard washers to be applied to the broken or damaged punched holes were proposed and/or marketed. A later improvement was the use of washers made of a cloth-type material.